Embedded internet for hearing aids

A method to operate a hearing device comprising an input transducer, a signal processing unit and an output transducer, the method comprising the steps of

• converting an acoustic input signal into a converted input signal,
• processing the converted input signal in a main signal path in order to obtain a main output signal,
• supplying the main output signal to an output transducer,
• processing the converted input signal in a side signal path to obtain a side path output signal,
• adjusting a gain, applied to the converted input signal in the side signal path, as a function of a gain applied to the converted input signal in the main signal path, wherein the gain applied to the converted input signal in the side signal path is computed from an existing gain model in the main signal path, and
• superimposing the side path output signal on the main output signal,
• wherein a group delay of a signal traveling through the side signal path is smaller than a group delay of a signal traveling through the main signal path.

A method to operate a hearing device comprising an input transducer, a signal processing unit and an output transducer, the method comprising the steps of

• converting an acoustic input signal into a converted input signal,
• processing the converted input signal in a main signal path in order to obtain a main output signal,
• supplying the main output signal to an output transducer,
• processing the converted input signal in a side signal path to obtain a side path output signal,
• processing the converted input signal in at least one further side signal path to generate at least one further side path output signal,
• superimposing the side path output signal on the main output signal, and
• superimposing the at least one further side path output signal on the main output signal, wherein a group delay of a signal traveling through the side signal path is smaller than a group delay of a signal traveling through the main signal path.

A hearing device comprising a main signal path comprising

• at least one input transducer to convert an acoustic input signal into a converted input signal,
• a signal processing unit and
• an output transducer,
• wherein the at least one input transducer is operatively connected to the output transducer via the signal processing unit,
• wherein a side signal path is provided that is, on its input side, fed by the converted input signal and that is, on its output side, operatively connected to an adder unit which is further comprised in the main signal path in between the signal processing unit and the output transducer, said side signal path comprising a gain unit,
• wherein the side signal path further comprises a high-pass filter unit or a time-domain filter bank, and
• wherein a group delay of a signal traveling through the side signal path is smaller than a group delay of a signal traveling through the main signal path.

A hearing device comprising a main signal path comprising

• at least one input transducer to convert an acoustic input signal into a converted input signal,
• a signal processing unit and
• an output transducer,
• wherein the at least one input transducer is operatively connected to the output transducer via the signal processing unit,
• wherein a side signal path is provided that is, on its input side, fed by the converted input signal and that is, on its output side, operatively connected to an adder unit which is further comprised in the main signal path in between the signal processing unit and the output transducer, said side signal path comprising a gain unit, wherein further side signal paths are provided, each comprising a further gain unit and a delay unit, whereas the converted input signal is fed to the delay unit via the further gain unit, the output of the delay unit being operatively connected to the adder unit, or further adder units.